Construction for the Central
Artery/Third Harbour Tunnel Project began in 1991. The project was first
suggested by the Boston Transportation Planning Review to relieve some of the
traffic that was forever flowing through the Central Artery (I-93) in Boston,
Massachusetts. The original project was proposed to be a 3.5 mile underground
tunnel travelling through the city at a projected cost of $2.8 billion.

Although it was first spoken of in the 70s, it
wasn’t until the 1980s that official planning began. A bill was passed in 1987
by the U.S. Congress, which would later take place over a veto made by President
Reagan. This bill would help provide funding for the project, which had also
been come to known as “The Big Dig.”

Over the course of construction there were many
challenges. To begin with the tunnel was dug in a position of pipes, utility
lines, subway lines, and landfills. To add to that, leaks and the use of the
wrong kind of materials, as well as a criminal arrest and a fatal accident have
all played a part in the construction of the project coming to a halt at
different times.

The cost when the tunnel was finished was over $14
billion, which truly sets the record for the most expensive public works
project. The tunnel was finished construction at the end of 2007 but as of
January 2008, there were still leaks and other problems that have yet to go
under investigation.